Let’s talk about... Iron in pregnancy
by Nikki Warren on Aug 02, 2022
The recommended daily intake of iron during pregnancy is 27 mg, yet many women do not meet this requirement. A common sentiment is, “I prefer to get my nutrients from food,” or “My mum or grandma never took supplements during pregnancy.”
The reality is that meeting all nutrient requirements through food alone is increasingly difficult, especially during pregnancy, and there are two key reasons for this.
Firstly, modern farming practices have significantly depleted soil nutrient content compared to previous generations. Secondly, pregnancy dramatically increases the demand for certain nutrients, particularly iron.
Iron in pregnancy is vital. Your iron levels matter, and so does your overall nutrient intake. For many women, iron supplementation is required to adequately meet daily needs. Unfortunately, relying on a single iron-rich food, such as a cup of spinach, simply isn’t enough to reach the recommended intake.
Why Iron Requirements Increase in Pregnancy
During pregnancy, iron requirements increase substantially to support:
- Expansion of maternal blood volume
- Placental development
- Foetal growth and oxygen delivery
To put the 27 mg daily requirement into perspective, let’s look at the iron content of common foods:
- 100g of steak: 2-4 mg
- One cup of spinach: 0.8 mg
- One egg: 0.95 mg
- Ten dried peach halves: 5.28 mg
- One cup of cooked lentils: 6.6 mg
- One cup of walnuts: 3.1 mg
- One chicken breast: 1.07 mg
- One cup of beetroot: 1.24 mg
When you add this up, it becomes clear how challenging it is to consistently reach 27 mg of iron every single day through food alone.
What Happens If Iron Intake Is Inadequate?
You might wonder what the consequences are if you don’t meet your recommended nutrient intake during pregnancy.
In the early stages, symptoms may be subtle; fatigue, reduced immunity, breathlessness and poor concentration. As iron levels decline further, the risks become more serious.
Iron deficiency can compromise your baby’s development. Nutrients are essential building blocks for healthy growth, neurological development and immune function.
From a maternal perspective, iron deficiency anaemia can be particularly dangerous if a postpartum haemorrhage occurs, increasing the likelihood of requiring a blood transfusion, which carries its own risks.
Anaemia may also contribute to significant exhaustion during the postnatal period. The weeks after birth are already physically and emotionally demanding. Managing sleep deprivation, stress and recovery is far more difficult when iron levels are low. While anaemia is not always avoidable, there is much that can be done to reduce the risk.
Iron Supplementation and Trimester Timing
Iron supplementation in the first trimester is known to aggravate morning sickness for many women. Ideally, iron levels are optimised before pregnancy so that an iron-free prenatal multivitamin can be used during the first trimester.
Iron supplementation is typically introduced in the second trimester, once nausea has settled - usually around 14-16 weeks’ gestation.
However, around half of all pregnancies are unplanned. This means many women enter pregnancy already iron deficient and experiencing first-trimester nausea. In this situation, keeping food down can be extremely difficult, making it almost impossible to meet nutrient requirements through diet alone.
This is where high-quality supplementation becomes particularly important to support maternal health and the demands of pregnancy.
Managing Iron Deficiency in the First Trimester
If iron deficiency is present in early pregnancy, a gentle and flexible approach is often needed. In these cases, taking Iron & Brain Support a couple of times per week may be more tolerable.
Research has shown that twice-weekly iron supplementation can be as effective as daily dosing for improving haemoglobin levels, while often being better tolerated.
As with all supplementation during pregnancy, individual needs vary. It is always recommended to seek guidance from a qualified naturopath or nutritionist to ensure iron supplementation is appropriate, effective and well tolerated throughout pregnancy.
